Differential mechanism



Patented Sept. 7, 1943 2,329,059 DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM Frederick D. Knoblock, Birmingham, Mich, as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to Patent Dcvelopers, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application June 2, 1942, Serial No. 445,518

13 Claims.

The present invention is an improvement in differential or axle compensators for two opposed shafts.

One object of the invention is to simplify and improve the mounting of a clutch disengaging shafts ill or II which causes one or the other i of driven clutch members l'l to slide axially outmember provided with cam teeth within and to a central spider member, such mounting permitting relative rotational movement but not relative axial movement.

A second object is to improve the construction of the driven clutch member and simplify and facilitate its manufacture and joinder to a clutch disengaging member provided with cam teeth.

A third object is to associate the sleeves on which the driven members are mounted in such fashion that any axial thrust imparted to one during assembly on the shaft ends is immediately imparted to the other and transmitted to the differential housing.

A further object is the provision of means for holding the parts of the complete differential together during assembly by fastening the two sleeve members together.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Z Fig. 1 is a sectional view through the differential, the housing and ring gear being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the parts of the differential;

Fig. 3 is a face view of one of the driven clutch members; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line AA of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts, l and ii are adjacent ends of two opposed shafts on which the differential or compensator is mounted; and

. i2 is the casing or housing carrying the usual ring gear I3. A suitable driving member which is preferably a central spider is mounted in the housing and rotates therewith. This spider is provided on each face with driving clutch teeth l5 that engage driven clutch teeth l6 formed on two driven clutch members I! one of which is' associated with the shaft l0 and the other with shaft ll. Each driven clutch member I! is mounted on a sleeve I8 and is slidable therealong by the provision of splines IS on the driven clutch members i'l engaging splines 20 on said sleeves l8. Sleeves I8 are preferably provided with.a second set of splines 2| that engage splines 22 on shafts i0 and Ii, though said sleeves may be keyed to said shafts or otherwise secured thereto.

The clutch disengaging operation is effected when there is relative speed between the two ward along its associated sleeve member l8, as

shown in Fig. 1. This movement compresses one of the two coiled springs 23 which reacts between its associated sle'eve l8 and spring retainer 24.

.'The clutch disengaging operation is eflected by cam teeth 25 formed on a clutch disengaging member 26 mounted within the spider or driving clutch member M. This clutch disengaging member 26 is rotatable relative to the spider or driven clutch member it but is prevented from.

axial movement relative thereto by suitable retaining means such as a snap ring 21 engaging a groove or recess 28 in spider II and a registering groove 0r recess 29 in clutch disengaging member 26. Such a removable connection between the driven clutch member i4 and the clutch disengaging member 26 not only facilitates production of the parts but their assembly and disassembly as well. The cam teeth on the clutch disengaging member 26 engage cam teeth 30 on a part ll of the driven clutch member ii, the coaction being such that when there is relative speed between the shafts l0 and II a declutching action is effected which operation is facilitated by a lost motion engagement between the clutch teeth l5 and I6 as indicated at it, Fig. 3.

In order to simplify and. cheapen the production of the driven clutch member-ll the part l'i' thereof is independently produced and later welded to the driven clutch member ll, care being taken that the cam teeth 30 are indexed with driven clutch teeth [6. This separate formation of the part I'I' enables the rapid and simple formation on the driven clutch members" of the clutch teeth I6 as well as the splines H! which latter are arranged at substantially right angles ,to the clutch teeth. Further the member I'l' prothe interposition of the sleeves i8 between the shafts i0 and II and the driven clutch members I! space the clutch teeth i6 farther from the center of the differential, which gives a greater pitch diameter, an increase in tooth-bearing area, lower bearing pressures, longer life, and improved performance.

The two sleeves l8 may be connected during bers ll, springs 23 and spring retainers 24. However after the differential has been assembled in the housing there is no end thrust on the ring 3| because of the clearance between the marginal edges of the same and the borders of the recesses 32. Further the sleeves I8 are associated so that during assmbly on the shafts I and H if undesired axial thrust should be imparted by a shaft II or II to one of the sleeves l8 the thrust would be immediately transmitted to the other sleeve l8 and thence to the differential housing, thus protecting the parts from injury.

The present construction provides a simple, efficient, cheap and durable axle differential or compensator that can be readily produced and assembled and disassembled. v

It will be understood that while one embodiment of the inventive idea has been'illustrated and described in detail such idea is susceptible of other mechanical embodiments within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

-1. In an axle differential for two opposed shafts, a housing, a driving member mounted within said housing and provided with driving clutch teeth on both side faces, a clutch disengaging cam member provided with cam teeth on both sides thereof 'for relative rotational but not relative axial movement, and a driven clutch member associated with each set'of driving clutch teeth and provided with driven clutch teeth to engage said driving clutch teeth and cam teeth to engage the teeth on said clutch disengaging member.

2. In an axle differential for two opposed shafts, a housing, a driving member mounted within said housing and provided with driving clutch teeth on both side faces said driving member having a recess, a clutch disengaging cam member provided -with cam teeth on both sides thereof mounted in said driving member said clutch disengaging cam member having a similar recess, a snap ring housed in said recesses in said driving member and cam member and connecting said cam member and driving member for relative rotational but not relative axial movement, and a driven clutch member associated with each set of driving clutch teeth and provided with driven clutch teeth to engage said driving clutch teeth and cam teeth to engage the teeth on said clutch disengaging member.

3. In an axle differential for two opposed shafts, a housing, a driving clutch member mounted each driven clutch member drivingly mounted on said shafts and having splines mating with splines on the driven clutch members, the clutch disengaging means becoming operative when there is relative speed between the two shafts.

4. In an axle differential for two opposed shafts, a housing, a driving clutch member mounted therein and having clutch teeth on both faces, a clutch disengaging. member mounted within said driving clutch member and having cam teeth on both faces, means for connecting said driving clutch member and said clutch disengaging member for relative rotational movement only, a driven clutch member on each side of said driving clutch member having driven clutch teeth engaging said driving clutch teeth, a cam member welded to said driven clutch member and having cam teeth engaging the cam teeth on within said housing having clutch teeth on both therein and having clutch teeth on both faces, a

clutch disengaging member mounted within said driving clutch member and having cam teeth on both faces, a driven clutch member on each side of said driving clutch member having driven clutch teeth engaging said driving clutch teeth, a cam member forming part of said driven clutch member and having cam teeth engaging the cam teeth on said clutch disengaging member, a sleeve for each driven clutch member having splines mating with splines on the driven clutch members, a spring retainer engaging each cam member, a spring reacting between each retainer and its associated sleeve, the clutch disengaging means becoming operative when there is relative speed between the two shafts.

6. In an axle differential for two opposed shafts, a housing, a driving clutch member in said housing having clutch teeth on both faces, a clutch disengaging member mounted within said driving clutch member and having cam teeth on both faces, a driven clutch member on each side of said driving clutch member having driven clutch teeth engaging said driving clutch teeth, a cam member welded to said driven clutch member and having cam teeth engaging the cam teeth on said clutch disengaging member, a sleeve for each driven clutch member having a splined connection to said shafts and splines mating with splines on the driven clutch members, the clutch disengaging means becoming operative when there is relative speed between the two shafts to force a driven clutch member axially-outward along the splines on its sleeve against the compression of its associated spring.

7. In an axle differential for two opposed shafts, a housing, a driving clutch member in said housing having clutch teeth on both faces, a clutch disengaging member mounted within said driving clutch member and having cam teeth on both faces, a driven clutch member on each side of said driving clutch member having driven clutch teeth engaging said driving clutch teeth and cam teeth engaging the cam teeth on said clutch disengaging member and provided with splines at right angles to said driven clutch teeth, a sleeve for each driven clutch member having a splined connection to said shafts and splines mating with those on the driven clutch members, a coiled spring reacting between each sleeve and its associated driven clutch member, and clutch disengaging means operative when there is relative speed between the two shafts.

8. In an axle differential for two opposed shafts, a housing, a driving clutch member having clutch teeth on both faces, a driven clutch member on each side of said driving clutch member having .driven clutch teeth engaging said driving clutch teeth and provided with splines'at right angles to said driven clutch teeth, a sleeve for each driven clutch member having a splined connection to said shafts and splines mating with those on the driven clutch members, clutch disengaging means operative when there is relative speed between the two shafts, and means for holding the complete differential together during assembly into the housing by holding the two sleeves axially together.

9. In an axle differential for two opposed shafts; a housing, a driving clutch member having clutch teeth on both faces, a driven clutch member on each side of said driving clutch member having driven clutch teeth engaging said driving clutch teeth and provided with splines at right angles to said driven clutch teeth, a sleeve for each driven clutch member having a splined. connection to said shafts and splines mating with those on the driven clutch members, each 'sleeve transmitting to the'housing through direct engagement with the other sleeve any axial thrust imparted thereto, and clutch disengaging means operative when there is relative speed between the two shafts.

' 10. In an axle diiferetial for two opposed shafts, a housing, a spider mounted therein and rotatable therewith and provided with driving teeth, a clutch disengaging member mounted within said spider and having cam teeth on both faces, a pair of driven clutch members having driven teeth engaging said driving teeth and cam teeth engaging the cam teeth on said clutch disengaging member, a sleeve secured to each shaft on which sleeves the driven clutch members are mounted, a splined-connection between with driving teeth, a clutch disengaging member mounted within said driving member and having cam teeth on both faces, a pair of driven clutch members having driven teeth engaging said driving teeth and cam teeth engaging the cam teeth on said clutch disengaging member, a sleeve secured to each shaft on which sleeves the driven clutch members are mounted, a splined connection between saidsleeves and driven clutch members, a coil spring reacting between each sleeve and its associated driven clutch member and being compressed in the outward axial movement of said driven clutch member, and means for holding the differential in place during assembly into the housing by holding the two sleeves axially together.

12. In an axle differential for two opposed shafts, a housing, a spider mounted therein and rotatable therewith and provided with driving teeth, a clutch disengaging member mounted I within said spider and having cam teeth on both faces, a pair of driven clutch members having driven teeth engaging said driving teeth and cam teeth engaging the cam teeth on said clutch disengaging member, a sleeve secured to each shaft on which sleeves the driven clutch members are mounted, a splined connection between said sleeves and driven clutch members, a coiled spring reacting between each sleeve and its associated driven clutch member and being. com pressed in the outward axial movement of said driven clutch member, and a split ring engaging grooves in the adjacent ends of said sleeves to hold the differential assembly in place during assembly into said housing.

13. In an axle differential for two opposed shafts, a housing, a spider mounted therein and rotatable therewith and provided with driving teeth, a clutch disengaging member mounted within said spider and having cam teeth on both faces, a pair of driven clutch members having driven teeth engaging said driving teeth and cam teeth engaging the cam teeth on said clutch disengaging member, a sleeve secured to each shaft on which sleeves the driven clutch members are mounted, a splined connection between said sleeves and driven clutch members and between said sleeves and shafts, a coiled spring reacting between each sleeve and its associated driven clutch member and being compressed in the outward axial movement of said driven clutch member, a spring retainer for each spring bearing against said driven clutch member, and means for holding the difierential assembly in place by holding the two sleeves axially together during assembly into the housing.

FREDERICK D. KNOBLOCK. 

